Brought to you by Avonmore Lactose Free Milk
Being lactose intolerant doesn't mean you have to make drastic changes to your life.
Lactose intolerance is the inability to properly digest lactose, which is a naturally-occuring sugar found in milk and other dairy products. While only a small percentage of us will ever experience it to such an extent that we can no longer enjoy dairy, it's important to know what to keep an eye out for. It can be harder than you might think to know for sure if you are lactose intolerant.
Firstly, it’s important to note that an allergy to milk and lactose intolerance are not the same thing. A milk allergy occurs when your immune system overreacts to the protein in cow’s milk and can result in a serious allergic reaction. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest lactose and while the symptoms are uncomfortable they are not dangerous.
So, even if your stomach goes into knots the second you eat or drink any dairy products, you shouldn't automatically assume you are lactose intolerant. The only true way to know for sure if your symptoms are down to lactose intolerance is to visit your doctor.
The symptoms
The common symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, cramps, excess wind and diarrhoea, and usually occur 1-2 hours after consuming milk or other products containing milk.
These symptoms may not be apparent every time you consume dairy, as most of those who suffer from it can tolerate certain amounts of lactose without experiencing symptoms.
So, there are no sure-fire ways to tell if you have it or not, but you should try to gauge how you feel after consuming a small bit of dairy, eating it on its own as opposed to with meals, etc. Basically, just keep track of how your body is feeling so you can discuss this with your doctor.
Living with lactose intolerance
If you do discover you are lactose intolerant, there's no need to feel as if you need to make huge changes to your lifestyle. While in very rare cases you won't be able to consume any dairy at all, most people with lactose intolerance can tolerate a certain amount.
For example, hard cheese (cheddar, Parmesan, Swiss, etc) and yoghurt contain less lactose, so may be fine to consume, while drinking a full glass of milk may bring on symptoms for some. Everyone is different so it will require a little bit of trial and error to see what you can tolerate.
One easy change to make is to switch to Avonmore Lactose Free Milk. It's made with regular cow's milk (and has the same satisfying taste and all the goodness too), but the lactose has already been broken down, helping you avoid those unpleasant symptoms. Now, isn’t that good news?
If you love milk but are lactose intolerant, here’s some very good news; Avonmore Lactose Free milk has all the taste and nutritional benefits you would expect from Avonmore, just without the lactose. Yes you can, with Avonmore Lactose Free milk. Please visit your GP for a proper diagnosis if you think you might be lactose intolerant.
Brought to you by Avonmore Lactose Free Milk 
